Even though the clock read 4:00AM on July 22 I was as energetic as an
eight year old. The sudden burst of energy was all because I was about
to embark on my first trip as an incoming International Thespian
Officer.
My parents walked me through their "Travel Survival
Guides" as we drove to the airport. Hugs were exchanged, and I was off
to my gate. Once I landed in St. Louis I met up with Rachel Gatewood,
the incoming Region III ITO, and we boarded our plane to Columbus.
After
a smooth flight we met up with Liz Coin, the incoming Region II ITO,
and Scott Wilson (aka Swils, one of the ITO's adult advisory members).
Swils drove us our final leg of the trip to Cincinnati.
The two
hour drive was finally over and we arrived at the Netherlands Plaza
Hotel. Once inside the elegant building we met up with the rest of the
incoming and outgoing ITO. 23 days apart called for 23 seconds of
shrieks and hugs.
We immediately got to work, Kimberly Staples
(aka Staples, the other ITO adult advisory board member) and Swils
allowed us to ask the outgoing ITO questions about their experiences and
they got to share some helpful tips for making our upcoming year the
best it can be.
In addition to the six outgoing and six incoming
ITO, two student leaders joined us in our leadership training at
Summit. These two, are among four student liaison positions. Each of the
four students have chosen areas of interest to assist the incoming ITO
in, from Advocacy to Broadway Cares, to Junior Thespians, and
Leadership. I am so grateful for the dedication these students have
already shown and am anxious to utilize them in furthering our goals for
the year.
After
a delicious dinner at the Rock bottom Cafe, the outgoing ITO introduced
us to the different chapter directors they knew and worked with
throughout their terms. It was interesting to learn how other states run
their conferences, and has me even more excited to help make each one a
success.
Staples and Swils led us in leadership training
throughout the first half of the morning, and during the second half we
got to listen to Jim Palmarini and Randy Cohen speak about Advocacy.
After the presentation they joined the fourteen of us for lunch and we
briefly discussed the importance of student advocacy, the conversation
had us inspired and talking about how we can reinvent Student Advocacy.
Once
day two of training was complete, all of the attendees at Summit took a
big yellow school bus over to Diane Carr's house for a BBQ. It was a
great time to unwind and enjoy Graeter's ice cream while celebrating
Diane's upcoming 10th anniversary working at EdTA. Here's to 10 more!
Thursday
was our last day in Cincinnati and the incoming ITO board defined our
three values and set our three goals for the year. Our values are the
following:
- Love
- Wisdom
- Dependability
Our vision for our values revolves around the mind, heart, and hands;
and how they are the building blocks of every individual.
Our three goals for the year are the following:
1. Reinvent Advocacy
2. Promote Community
3. Support Local Troupes
Make
sure you are following our twitter accounts, and like our Facebook page
as we will be promoting each of these areas and asking for your help
throughout the year!
I would like to extend a big thank you to
EdTA for covering all of our expenses on this trip. In two and a half
days the commitment towards educators and students was apparent from
each staff member.
We are looking forward to a prosperous year, please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or need any help!
Alex Minton
Incoming ITO Chair